When to Inspect Height Safety Equipment and Why It’s Important

19 Feb When to Inspect Height Safety Equipment and Why It’s Important

Anyone who operates  height safety equipment in Melbourne and across major cities in Australia will be well aware that their lives – and the lives of their colleagues – literally depend on the efficiency and condition of the equipment they use. As such, properly inspecting, storing, servicing, and cleaning this equipment should be a top priority.

We know why it’s important, but knowing when and how often to inspect the equipment can be a little more challenging.

With more than 20 years experience in the height safety and fall prevention industry, our team is well-equipped to provide servicing and maintenance services. Give the team at Australian Height Safety Services a call today to book an assessment of your equipment.

Does Height Safety Equipment Need to be Inspected?

Yes; by law, all equipment that is designed to provide safety when working at height needs to be inspected on a regular basis (every 6 months in most cases). Specific regulations are as follows:

• OHS 3.51 states that fall injury prevention systems are required to be inspected at regular intervals by a competent person.
• OHS 3.53 states that permanent anchorage points should be inspected at an interval that does not exceed 6 months.

AS/NZS 1891.4 is the standard that covers the selection, safe use, and maintenance (which includes inspections, storage, servicing, and cleaning) of fall arrest systems that are designed for use in free-fall applications. It states that harnesses, lanyards, and fall arrest devices should be inspected by the operator before and after each use. It also states that a more detailed inspection should be conducted by a competent person at an interval that does not exceed 6 months.

Keep in mind that equipment that is used and stored under harsh conditions actually needs to be inspected more frequently.

All inspections, excluding those undertaken by operators, must be documented.

Can Anyone Conduct an Inspection?

No; the regulations require that only a competent, trained, and experienced person who possesses the relevant knowledge and skills conduct inspections of height safety equipment in Sydney.

Fortunately, AHSS employs a number of service and maintenance technicians who are more than qualified to undertake these inspections and ensure that your equipment is up to par.

When Should Height Safety Equipment be Inspected?

With such a wide variety of equipment in use, knowing when each piece should be inspected can be a challenge. We’ve broken down the inspection frequency in this handy table:

Before and After Each Use

• Personal safety equipment (including harnesses, lanyards, connectors, and fall arrest devices)

6-Monthly

• Harnesses, lanyards, and associated personnel equipment Fall-arrest devices (external inspection only)
• Ropes and slings
• Horizontal and vertical lifelines (fibre rope and webbing)

12-Monthly

• Anchorages (drilled-in type or attached to timber frames)
• Horizontal and vertical lifelines (steel rope or rail ladder safety systems)

Other

• Anchorages (other types) – load tested yearly
• Fall-arrest devices (full service) – refer to the manufacturer
• All items of personal and common use equipment – upon entry or re-entry into service

What Does an Inspection Involve?

An inspection of height safety equipment is actually quite thorough. It involves both a visual and a physical examination to ensure that all components are present and in optimal working condition. Where possible, the equipment will also be opened up and inspected to ensure that the internal components are in good working order.

Other inspection tasks include proof and force load testing, inspection of procedures, and the identification of any non-compliant equipment and other compliance issues.

Equipment that is identified as not being up to par should be removed from service immediately and either repaired or replaced (depending on the recommendation of the competent person).

What Might Happen if I Fail to Conduct Any Inspections?

If your height safety equipment is not inspected and serviced regularly, it could have some deadly consequences. This could include serious injury or even death, damage to assets and business, increased liability, fines, jail time, and costly insurance battles.

Keep Height Safety Equipment in TipTop Condition with AHSS

No matter what industry you work in, having access to the right equipment is the first step in minimising the chances of a height-related accident occurring. Having the right equipment is not enough, however – it needs to be well-maintained and able to perform the job it’s designed for. This is why frequent inspections of your equipment are essential, as the last thing you want is for a system to fail when you need it most.

The team at Australian Height Safety Services is more than qualified to perform regular inspections, servicing, and repairs on your equipment. Give us a call today and let our team of experts handle the rest.

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